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Photos Courtesy of WORKSHOP
WORKSHOP, a mission-based design firm, started with a hunch that there was a better way to do business. Now they’re recognized as a leader in social innovation in New York City. Based out of the Green Desk offices in Dumbo, WORKSHOP’s mission is “do good design for good people.” Their 5-person dream team is composed of Jessie Arrington (founder/designer), Creighton Mershon (founder/designer), Josh Stewart (founder/designer), Becca Moore (designer), and Alex Kane (designer).
Green Leap of Faith
WORKSHOP’s three founders took a leap of faith in 2005 when they decided to go against the grain and develop a socially responsible design firm. Their approach to social responsibility is two-fold. First, set out to work with clients who are doing good. Second, do good yourself whenever possible. Contrary to what you might think, applying constraints in order to meet the company’s mission has not impeded the team’s creativity, but rather encouraged it. For example, when asked to make the Rock-and-Roll Auction Invitation for Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls, the WORKSHOP team produced a colorful invite/poster that was also a self-mailer made with 100% post-consumer paper produced by windpower. “In a world where seemingly infinite possibilities can be paralyzing, removing those that are not aligned with your values can really help add clarity and purpose to your work,” says Mershon. It is exactly that spirit that has landed WORKSHOP on the New York 100, a comprehensive list that “highlights 100 of the most innovative, rule- breaking, model-changing ideas to come out of the Big Apple."
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Photo by Erin Sparling. The WORKSHOP team in their Manhattan studio prior to moving to Brooklyn |
In keeping with WORKSHOP’s mission of working with good people, the design firm claims such clients as TED, the New York Philharmonic, and Sustainable NYC. Their most memorable project to date has been designing the web site for Charter for Compassion, which launches on November 12th. “[Working on charterforcompassion.org] has encompassed everything that we look for in a project: a challenge that forces us to grow, multi-layered design problem solving, and a mission of shifting the consciousness of the world. No biggie, right?” says Mershon.
In-House Environmental Responsibility
When the WORKSHOP team isn’t shifting the consciousness of the world, it’s focusing on in-house environmental responsibility in four main areas: responsible in-office energy consumption, low- or no-impact transportation, recycling, and research.WORKSHOP runs their socially responsible business on 100% windpower, uses energy efficient light bulbs and appliances, and works with a webhosting company that also uses energy efficient appliances and offsets their emissions. WORKSHOP encourages its staff to walk and ride bikes, but when that’s not possible the company offsets emissions from car and plane travel. As devoted recyclers, WORKSHOP looks for reclaimed materials when outfitting their office and they vermicompost organic waste (their worms are collectively known as “Steve”.) When it comes to researching sustainable materials and products for their clients, WORKSHOP does their homework so that their clients have an entire package that includes great design and sustainable materials.
The Way of the Future
As WORKSHOP continues to grow, finding new and better ways to be a leader in sustainable design is constantly a work in progress. As Mershon notes, promoting a mission-based design company is “not always an easy sell. Doing the responsible thing can be more costly.” However, Mershon and the rest of the WORKSHOP team are not deterred: “Mainly, we believe success will follow when we stay true to our love for design and our values of responsibility and fairness.” Great words to live and work by!
About the Author
A. Lauren Abele is the Coordinator of Development for Green Edge NYC. After finishing a Masters of Public Affairs at Indiana University, Lauren came to New York to pursue her career in the social sector. A long-time environmental advocate, Lauren has analyzed the Kyoto Protocol with the U.S. Department of State in Brussels and worked on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards at the Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic at Washington University in St. Louis. She is the founder of a volunteer environmental education program for elementary school students and has worked on environmental projects in both Spain and Australia.Do you know someone that should be featured in The Leaflet: Focus on For-Profit Business?
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